Multiple engine drive



1942- v N. F. ADAMSON 2,305,373

MULTIPLE ENGINE DRIVE Filed Jan. 4, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheetl 22 J4 3 J6 A5 A4 /7 I J7 Nicholas F Ada/77300 Dec. 15, 1942. N. F. ADAMSON 5 3 MULTIPLE ENGINE DRIVE Filed Jan. 4, 1941 3 Shets-Sheet 2 0 o o o .0 o o O O O O O O I fi/nfvr? Nicholas Ffiac zmson.

Dec. 15, 1942.

N. F. ADAMSON MULTIPLE ENGINE DRIVE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 4, 1941 PatentedDec. 15, 1942 MULTIPLE, ENGINE DRIVE Nicholas F. Adamson, Racine, Wis., assignor to Twin Disc Clutch .Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 4, 1941, Serial No. 373,085

12 Claims. (Cl. 74-389) My invention relates to a multiple engine drive which incorporates in a compact structure facilities for transmitting to a single driven shaft the combined torque of a plurality of engines.

In devices of this character, important operating problems center in the desirability of synchronizing the engines and of eliminating torsional vibrations. Multiple engine drives which incorporate rigid power transmission elements, such as clutches, gears and the usual shafts, and

which are employed in marine service, are particularly diflicult in these respects with resulting undue wear and racking of the mechanism and the vessel's hull, especially during periods of sustained service. The provision ofa relatively inexpensive construction for securing uniformity of speed of the parts of th drive which are'coupled to the engine is another factor in these installations.

It is, therefore, one object of my invention to provide a'gear box having speed reducing elements and multiple inputsconnections for a plurality of engines and a single output connection for the load, wherein a hydraulic coupling is in-- terposed as a power connection between at least one of the engines and the elements for the purpose of assisting'in synchronizing the engines and in neutralizing the natural torsional vibrations of the unit.

A further object is to devise a gear box of the character indicated having facilities for concentrating the drive of a plurality of engines connected thereto in parallel in which certain economies in the cost of the power transmitting elements between the enginesand the box is effected by providing in the box devices for reducing the speed of at least one of the engines.

A further object is to devise a gearbox for marine service, wherein provision is made for ready replacement of the thrust bearing, without disturbing the alignment of the propeller shaft;

A further object is to devise a power transmission system which is characterized by a more economical utilization of reverse and reduction gears and which enables, by means of simple substitution, a variety of reduction gear ratios to be obtained.

These and further objects of my invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings, and the novel means by which said objects are efiectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claims. I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing my improved drive as incorporating, in one form thereof, three engine units and an improved gear box for transmitting and reducing the drive to a single driven shaft.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, sectional plan view of the gear box shown in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation of a portion of one of the runners shown in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow 3, and illustrating a characteristic relation of the vanes therein. 7

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of one of the reverse gear units shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5is a section along the line 5--5 in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numerals Ill, II and I2 designate engines, although it will be understood that in the more generic aspects of the invention, these engines are to be regarded as driving members, whether of the prime mover or other type These engines are arranged side by side for parallel drive, the,engines I0 and I2 transmitting power through reverse gear units l3 and [4, each having a 1:1 ratio, and connecting shafts l5 and [6 to input shafts l1 and I8,

all respectively, while the engine II transmits power through a reverse and reduction gear unit I9 having a rtio of 6:1 and a connecting shaft 20 to an input shaft 2|, all of the input shafts forming part of my improved gear box 22.

The mentioned gear ratios may be varied as desired, the 6:1 gear ratio in the unit l9 matching certain gear ratios contained in the gear box 22, as hereinafter described. Any standard form of reverse gears may be employed for the units I3 and, and the same condition holds true for the unit I9. A characteristic unit of this type is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,127,713, dated August 23, 1938, and will be presently described. In employing this patented structure, it will be understood that, for th units l3 and M, the gear ratios would be adjusted to provide the required 1: 1 ratio.

Referring to ,Fig. 2, the input'shaft [1 extends within the housing 23 of the gear box 22, only the lower portion of this housing being illustrated in Fig. 2, and the shaft is intermediately journaled in a bearing 24 provided in the left wall of the housing. Th driving connection between the shaft and an axially aligned intermediate shaft 25 is provided by a hydraulic coupling 26 comprising oppositely facing impellers 21 and 28 which are drivably secured to the shaft I5 and each of which is provided with vanes 29 and 30 that are connected by an annular shroud 3i in the customary manner to provide radial passages cooperative relation to a runner 32 which is bolted to a runner 33 that is disposed in cooperative therein. The impeller 21 is located in facing and runner 32, for example, and, during operationof relation to the impeller 28, each of the runners including vanes 34 and 35 which are connected by the customary shroud 36.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the runners 3| and 32 completely house the impellers 21 and 28, with the impeller 21 and runner 32, and the impeller 28 and runner 33 respectively cooperating in the usual manner to provide apair of fluid turbine transmission circuits.

The runner 33 is provided with a hub 31 which is keyed or otherwise d'rivably secured to the shaft '25. A portion of the hub 31 adjacent the left end of the shaft 25 is bored to receive a bearing 39 and journaled in this hearing is the inner end of the shaft I1. The-shaft 25 is intermediately journaled in a bearing 40 provided in the housing 23 and also in a bearing 4| carried by the right wall of the housing, as viewed in Fig. 2. Between these bearings, a pinion 42 is secured to the shaft 25 which meshes with a gear 43 fast on the shaft 2|, the ratio between the pinion 42 and gear 43 being 6:1.

The shaft 2| extends completely across the housing 23, th left ,end being journaled in a thrust bearing 44 carried in a cage 45 provided in the housing 23. The bearing 44 is held against the thrust shoulder 46 provided on the shaft 2| by means of a nut 41, and the thrust transmitted to the bearing 44 i exerted against a cover 48 that is bolted to the housing 23. The right end of the shaft 2| is journaled in a bearing 49 carried by the right wall of the housing 23 and the shaft extends without the housing for connection by a suitable coupling to a propeller shaft 50, which generally exemplifies a shaft that is connected to the load.

The input shaft'|8 is connected to an intermediate shaft by means of a hydraulic coupling 52, the internal arrangement of this coupling being the sam 'as the coupling 26 and the journaling of the shafts l8 and 5| being respectively like that of shafts l1 and 25. A pinion 53, similar to the pinion 42, is secured to the shaft 5| and meshes with the gear 43, the ratio also being 6:1.

One of the important features of my improved gear box resides in the use of the lubricating oil,

which is employed to lubricate the bearings and gears by splash, or by means of any desired means of pressure feed (not shown), as the operating fluid for the couplings 26 and 52. For this purpose, the lower portion of the housing 23 serves as a reservoir from which the oil may be moved in any desired manner to lubricate the bearings and gears. In order to supply oil to the coupling 26, a pipe 54 leads from the lower portion of the housing 23 to a gear pump 55 which may be conveniently mounted on top of the gear box 22 and driven from a pulley 55*- on the shaft I1, and the oil delivered by this pump flows through a supply pipe 56 whose delivery end is mounted in a plate 51 that is secured to the hous- ,ing 23 in covering relation to the right end of the coupling, the oil is continuously discharged through the ports 6| for return to the reservoir in the housing 23. When the engine I0 is operating, the oil is continuously delivered into the interior of the coupling and in order to insure that the coupling will be completely filled, it will be understood that the discharge capacity of the ports 6| is considerably below the capacity of the pump so that after the coupling has once been filled, following a period of nonoperation, it remains in this condition during the operation of the engine. The ports 6| not only insure that the oil will be kept relatively cool, but obviate any necessity, in a coupling of the completely filled type, for external chambers to accommodate the expansion of the oil. Moreover, the coupling automatically deaerates itself during each filling and is automatically drained when out of operation.

The coupling 52 is supplied by a system identical with that above described, and which comprises a pipe 62 through which oil is withdrawn from the reservoir in the housing 23 by a pump 63, also mounted on the gear box 22 and driven from a pulley 63 on the shaft |8, and which delivers the oil through a pipe 64 into the interior of a cover plate 65, that is similar to the plate 51. As before, packing 66, surrounding the end of the shaft 5|, confines movement of the oil through an axial passage 61 provided in the shaft 5|. Oil delivered through this passage finally reaches, in the manner hereinabove described, the coupling reservoir 68 and from this reservoir the oil is centrifugally discharged during rotation of the coupling through one Or more peripheral ports 69 provided in the wall of the coupling.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the required speed reduction of the engines H) and I2 is effected in the gear box 22 by means of the gears 42 and 43, and 53 and 43, respectively, while the speed reduction for the engine H which is directly connected to the shaft 2| is effected by the reverse and reduction gear unit I9. In stating that the gear ratio in the unit I1 is of the order of 6: 1, it will be understood that this ratio is approximate and that the exact ratio should allow for the normal slip in the couplings 26 and 52 and hence should be equal to the net reduction ratio obtained through these couplings and the reduction gears in the gear box.

By providing for the speed reduction of the engines I0 and I2 within the gear box 22, it is possible to employ between these engines and the gear box relatively inexpensive reverse gear units having 1:1 ratio, thus materially reducing the over-all cost of the complete drive when compared with one of an equivalent arrangement having three units similar to unit l9. Any desired speed reduction may be obtained by suitably arranging the gear ratios so that my improved gear box is characterized by flexibility and a high degree of versatility.

In the disclosed arrangement, all three engines are effective in forward'and reverse drives but, under certain conditions, it may be desirable to utilize the engine only for forward drive and wall of the coupling 26, i. e., in the wall of the to eliminate this engine during reverse drive. Under these conditions, the reverse and reduction gear unit |9 would be replaced by a simple reduction gear unit having a ratio equal to the net reduction ratio through the hydraulic couplings and the reduction gears in the ear box, and also by a simple throwout clutch. Accordingly, during reverse drive, power connection between the engine II and the shaft 2| would be alignment of the shafts 2| and 50, which, in

marine service, is highly important.

In Fig. 4' is illustrated a reverse gear having a 1:1 ratio which might be-used as either of the units I3 and I4. In this figure, the numeral 10 designates a flywheel or other rotating part of the engine I or I 2 to which is drivably connected a clutch casing II composed of the separable, complementary parts 12 and I3 by means of bolts 14.

One end of a reverse drive shaft 15 is journaled in a bearing I6 carried by the casing part I2, while the opposite end is journaled in a bearing 11 mounted in the end wall 18 of the housing I9. A pinion 80 is keyed to the shaft I and numeral |0I,only one being shown in Fig. 4. These operators are equispaced around the axis of the clutches and as many may be employed as the conditions of operation require. Each operator comprises a link I02, one end of which is pivotally secured to a lug 99 while the opposite end is plvotally connected to one arm of a lever I03 that is intermediately pivoted at I04 on an outer arm I05 of a bracket I00 that is fastened to the casing part I3. Radially inward of the pivot pin I04, the lever I03 is provided with a pair of divergent arms M! which aresymmetrically disposed in perpendicular relation to each other on opposite sides of a radius through the pin I04 when the plate 98 is in neutral position.

A peripherally grooved roller I08, disposed between and in guiding and bearing relation to the arms I01, is rotatable on the outer end of a stem I09 which includes a flange I I0 slidable within a spring cup III. This cup-is pivoted on a pin I|2 mounted in an inner arm of the bracket "I09. A helical spring I I3 encircles the stem I09 between the flange H0 and the bottom of the cup III and acts to maintain the roller I08 in contact with both arms I01 when the operator occupies the position shown in Fig. 4, or with either arm depending upon which clutch is engaged.

through an idler gear 8|, rotatably supported in the wall I8 (see Fig. 5), is drivably connected to a gear 82 keyed to a driven shaft 83 that extends through the wall I8 and may be flanged as at 84 for attachment to a shaft I5 or I6. The shaft 83 is journaled in bearings 85 and 85 mounted, respectively, in the walls 81 and I8.

Adjacent the casing part 12, the shaft I5 is provided with an externally toothed flange 98 which is in constant mesh with an internally toothed ring 89 that carries a friction disc 90. A similar disc 9|, positioned adjacent the casing part I3, is secured to an internally toothed ring 92 which is in constant mesh with one end of an externally toothed, direct drive sleeve 93. The indicated sleeve end is supported out of contact with the shaft I5 by a bearing 94 carried by the shaft, while adjacent the opposite end, the sleeve is journaled in a bearing 95 mounted in the wall 81. Accordingly, the sleeve 93 may rotate freely and independently of the shaft I5. A pinion 96 is keyed to the sleeve 93 and meshes with a gear 91 secured to the shaft 83.

The sleeve 93 and shaft |5 transmit power to the respective gearing above describedand their connection to the flywheel I0 are, respectively, provided by a direct drive clutch comprising the casing part I3 and friction disc 9|, and a reverse drive clutch comprising the casing part I2 and friction disc 90. 'A common clam-ping plate 98 for these clutches is located between the discs 90 and 9| and driving engagement of the plate with the clutch casing is obtained by means of a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs 99, only one of which-is illustrated in Fig. 4, when extend outwardly from the periphery of the plate through similarly spaced slots I00 cut in the periphery of the casing part I3.

As shown in Fig. 4,. the clutches are in neutral position and the distance between the opposed faces of the casing parts I2 and I3 is such that when the plate 98 is in the intermediate position shown, the discs 90 and 9| may freely shift axially to positions free of driving contact with the faces of the plate and the casing parts I2 and I3.

The clutches are selectively engaged by a plu- The inner end of the stem I09, radially considered, is threaded into a shouldered sleeve 4 that is 'slidable through the inner end of the cup I I I, the sleeve shoulder abutting the cup and limiting outward, radial movement of the stem.-

The inner end of the cup is connected by a link I I 5 to a sleeve I I6 that is slidable along a tubular extension I I1 carried by the casing part I3. A collar 'II8 encircles and is connected by a ball bearing 9 with the sleeve H6 and is provided with trunnion pins I20, These pins are engaged by arms |2| provided on an operating lever that is pivoted on a shaft I22 externally rocked by a lever (not shown).

The foregoing reverse gear is substantially identical with that described and claimed in the above noted patent, except for certain changes, unimportant so far as this application is concerned, in the gear arrangement and arising from the fact that, in the patented structure, the shaft corresponding to the shaft I5 transmits direct drive, while the counterpart of the sleeve 93 transmits reverse drive.

During operation, when the cup III is rocked counterclockwise, the plate 98 is shifted to. the right to engage the direct drive clutch and transmit power through the pinion 96 and gear 91 to the shaft 83, and when rocked clockwise, the reversing clutch is engaged to thereby transmit power through the pinion 80, idler BI and gear 82 to the shaft 83.

. As indicated in Fig.4, the gear ratios for direct and reverse drive is 1:1 and the gear illustrated may thus be used for the units I3 and. The

I same gear may'also be employed for the unit I9 rality of operators designated generally by the by changing the gear ratio to 6:1.

I claim: I 1. In a power transmitting system, the combination of a pair of driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, and means for connecting the members and shaft comprising speed reducing mechanism connecting one of the members and shaft, reverse gear means having a l to 1 ratio connecting said one member and mechanism, and reverseand reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanism connecting the other member and shaft.

' respectively,

2. In a power transmitting system, the combination of a pair of driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, means connecting one of the members to the shaft comprising reverse gear means having a 1 to 1 ratio, a hydraulic coupling and speed reducing mechanism, and means for connecting the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanism.

3. In a power transmitting system, the combination of a pair of driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, means connecting one of the members to the shaft comprising reverse gear meanshaving a 1 to 1 ratio, a hydraulic coupling and speed reducing mechanism, and means for connecting .the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanism and an inter- 4 mediate shaft interposed between the last-named gear means and the driven shaft having secured thereto a gear forming part of the mechanism.

4. In a power transmitting system, the combination of three driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, and means for connecting the members and shafts comprising speed reducing mechanisms connecting the two outermost members to the shaft, reverse gear means having a 1 to 1 ratio connecting the outermost members and mechanisms, and reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanisms connecting the other member and shaft.

5. In a power transmitting system, the combination of three driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, 7

hydraulic coupling and speed reducing mecha-- nism, and means for connecting the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanism.

'7. In a power transmitting system, the combination of a pair of driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, means connecting one of the members to the shaft comprising reversing mechanism, a hydraulic coupling and speed reducing mechanism, and means for connecting the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacityequal to the mechanism and an intermediate shaft interposed between the last named gear means and the driven shaft having secured thereto a gear forming part of the mechanism.

8. In a power transmitting system, the combination of three driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, means connecting each outermost member to the shaft comprising reversing mechanism, a hydraulic coupling and a speed reducing mechanism, and means for connecting the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanism.

9. In a power transmitting system, the combination of a pair of driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, means connecting one of the members to the shaft comprising reversing mechanism and speed reducing mechanism, and means connecting the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanism.

10. In a power transmitting system, the combination of three driving members, a driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, means connecting each outermost member to the shaft comprising reversing mechanism and a speed reducing mechanism, and means for connecting the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanisms connecting the other member and shaft.

11. In a power transmitting system, the combination of a pair of driving members, a'driven shaft operable at a lower speed than the members, means connecting one of the members to the shaft comprising reversing mechanism and speed reducing mechanism, and means connecting the other member to the shaft comprising reverse and reduction gear means having a reduction capacity equal to the mechanism and an intermediate shaft interposed between the last named gear means and the driven shaft having secured thereto a gear forming part of the mechanism.

12. In a power transmitting system, the combination of a pair of driving members, a driven shaft operable at a speed different from the members, means connecting one of the members to the shaft comprising reversing mechanism and mechanism for converting the speed of said one member to that of the shaft, and reverse and speed conversion means having a speed conversion capacity equal to the speed converting mechanism connecting the other member and shaft.

- NICHOLAS F. ADAMSON. 

